Winemaker Notes
Inky purple, it has an expressive bouquet of mocha/expresso, pain grille, graphite, wild blueberries, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a full-bodied, full flavored, plush wine with layers of spicy black fruits, is perceived its varieties complexity. Balanced, long after taste with smoky hints.
Blend: 86% Tempranillo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Cocoa powder, bergamot and some stones to the fresh blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied on the palate with fine-grained tannins and a juicy, bright finish. Quite energetic. A very consistent Ribera del Duero demonstrating outstanding quality.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Having the 2019 to taste next to the 2020 Finca Villacreces reveals how the quality of the 2020 tannins are more elegant, and the wine comes through as finer-boned and fresher too, with power, concentration and structure. It was produced with 90% Tempranillo, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Merlot and has 14.1% alcohol and very good freshness. It fermented in raw concrete vats and 10,000-liter oak vats and matured in 225- and 500-liter French oak barrels, with a few more months in foudre and oak vat to complete 15 months, which seem to have given a sleeker and more polished wine with a gentler mouthfeel.
Rating: 93+
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Ribera del Duero, Spanish wine region, is located in northen Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive from Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back more than 2000 years, it was in the 1980s that 9 wineries applied for and were granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 300 wineries call Ribera del Duero home, including some of Spain’s most iconic names.
Notable Facts Ribera’s main grape variety, Tempranillo, locally know as Tinto Fino, is perfectly suited to the extreme climate of the region, where it must survive scorching summers and frigid winters. Low yields resulting from conscientious tending to old vines planted in Ribera’s diverse soils types, give Ribera wines a distinctive depth and complexity not found in other Tempranillos. Rich and full-bodied, the spice, dark fruit and smoky flavors in a bold Ribera del Duero will pair well with roasted and grilled meats, Mexican food and tomato-based sauces.